The Flats (re-post)

After finding an errant file of iPhone snapshots, re-posting this content from last summer @ “Santa Cruz flats,” northwest of Tucson, AZ, with more environmental context:

Sunrise over the fields
Telephoto view of top of Ragged Top

Lots of Greater Roadrunner activity:


Red-tailed Hawk on power pole
Roadrunners II
Hint of rainbow w/ White-winged Dove
Roadrunners III
Roadrunner IV
Roadrunners V
Picacho Peak
Roadrunner VI
R-tHIF
Roadrunner in tree
Probably Cooper’s Hawk w/ nest in background
Yellow-breasted Chat along Santa Cruz River
Great-tailed Grackle (f) ?
Let’s Chat

Sequence of beautiful Inca Dove:

Here’s the view west along E. Sasco Road out of Red Rock, at the crossing w/ Santa Cruz River. (The puddle is the riverbed.) Good spot for birds w/ riparian vegetation, e.g., the Chat above.


“Bird of the day,” a surprise/great sighting of Bendire’s Thrasher:


Black-throated Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow II
White-winged Dove
Another view west towards Ironwood Forest Nat’l Monument

White-winged Doves @ power line:


Western Kingbird
Lark Sparrow
Spotted Sandpiper at the feedlot
Lark Sparrow II